Stopping and starting mechanism for looms.



No. 848,815. PATENTED APR. 2, 1907.

w. F. DRAPER & 0. F. ROPBR.

STOPPING AND STARTING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14. 1906.

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No 848,815. PATENTED APR. 2, 1907.

F. DRAPER & c. F..ROPER.

STOPPING AND STARTING MECHANISM FOR LQOMS.

' APPLIOATION IILED JUNE 14, 1908.

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following description, in connection withthe accompanying drawings, is a speeificat1o n," ,like letters on the drawings representing'hke parts.

' momentum is broug UNITED STATES PATENT orrron WILLIAM F. DRAPER ANI) CHARLES F. ROPER', OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHU- SETTS, ASSIGNORS TO DRAPER COMPANY, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHU- SETIS, CORPORATION OF MAINE.

STOPPIN G AND'STARTING MECHANISM FOR LOOIVIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 2, 1907.

Application filed June 14,1906. Serial No. 321.597.

2'0 apbwhom it may conceive.-

Be it known that we, WILLIAM F. DRAPER and CHARLES F. Rornn, citizens of the United States, and residents of Hopedale, county of Worcester, State of Massachusetts, have invented an" Improvement in Stopping and Starting Mechanism for Looms, of which the This invention relates more particularly to the mechanism which effects the starting and stopping of a loom; and it has for its object the production of means whereby the operationgoffsuch mechanism is greatly improved and its efficiency correspondingly increased.

-As iswell known to those skilled in the art and mechanism of weaving, the momentum of the moving parts of a loom is suflicient to keep up the motion or turn the loom over,

as it is technically termed, one or more times after the power is thrown off, and as it is desirable for many reasons to stop the l oom' promptly and with certainty when't'he power is thrown off it is customary to provide a brake for the purpose.

One very important reason for stopping the loom promptly, particularly when weaving lighter goods, isthat by so doing thin places in the cloth are prevented, for the lay beats in the filling plroperly only when its t into .play, and when the power is thrown off the momentum decreases so rapidly that the complete beating in of the filling cannot be effected. The brake is accordingly set to stop the loom before the lay can beat up fully after the power is thrown ofi.

I-Ieretofore the brake member or shoe has generally been given a very slight movement toward and from the cooperating annular ably more than half of the loom-brakes nominally in use in mills are set back so far that they serve no purpose whatsoever.

been less than one-fourth of the total number of looms running, the brakes on the other looms not only performing no function and exercising no control, but being so much dead-weight.

One of the objects of our present invention is to so-construct and. arrange the mechanism thatthe brake can be set to operate properly without necessitating unusual care and skill, so that the benefits for which the brake mechanism is provided can be readily secured.

Another object of our invention is the production of means whereby the brake is not applied until the power is thrown off completely and the brake released, freeing the loom from its control before the power is thrown on.

At present looms are so constructed that when'the shipper is released or thrown off the driving-belt is shifted from the fast to the loose pulley, and before such shifting is effective the brake is applied, so that the belt is straining against the brake, resulting in wear to both and waste of power.

The breakage of lay-swords and other -parts of the loom, owing to the special strains loss of power, and thereby increase the elliciency, life, and smoothness in operation of the loom.

The various novel features of our invention will be fully described in the subjoined specification and particularly pointed out in the following claims.

Figure 1 is a lefthand side elevation of a sufficient portion of a loom with one embodi ment of our present invention applied thereto, the brake being off and the shipper in run-' ning position; Fig. 2 is a top plan view In numbers of instances, by actual count,

the brakes in operation and properly set have tnereor centrauy DIOKGII out to snow early the relative position of the various parts of the mechanism and their construction and mode of operation. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the shipper in running position and the parts adjacent thereto. Fig. 4c is a simi-- lar view, but with the shipper in stopping position, and when in such position the brake is on and the power oil the loom. front elevation, centrally broken out, showing both sides of the loom and with the drivingbelt fully on the loose pulley, the brake being just about to act.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, we have herein shown the loom sides 1, connecting breastbeam 2 and the driving or crank shaft 3, by or through which motion is transmitted to the lay and other moving parts of the loom, all of substantially well-known construction in power-looms, and herein said shaft is provided with fast and loose pulleys 4 5, Figs. 2 and 5, adapted to be driven from a suitable source'of power by a belt B. Herein the pulleys are shown at the right-hand side of the loom, and at the opposite side the shaft 3 has fast upon it a fly-wheel 6, which also forms the annular rotatable member of a brake device for the loom, the cooperating member being shown as a shoe or segmental member 7, pivotally mounted at S on the 100m side.

The belt-shifter or fork 9, secured to or forming part of a sleeve 10, slidably mounted on a supporting-stud 11, projecting laterally from the loom side, the arm 12 on the sleeve cooperating with the guide-bracket l3, and the rod or link 14, attached at one end to the sleeve and at its opposite end. to one extremity of the rocking bent lever 15 16, may be and are of substantially usual construe tion, rocking of the lever on its fulcrum 17 moving the belt-shifter 9 in or out to shift the driving-belt from one to the other of the two pulleys on the driving-shaft 3 to thereby throw the power onto or off of the loom, as will be manifest. The rocking of said lever is effected by or through movement of the shipper 18 from running to stopping position, and vice versa, the shipper being fulcrumed at 19, Figs. 3, 4, and 5, andthrown into stopping position by the spring 20 when released from the notch 21, Fig. 2, in the slotted holding-plate 22.

' In our present invention we have considerably increased the amplitude of movement of the shipper from one to the other of its e.\'

treme positions in order that the shifting of the power onto or off of the loom shall be effected after release of the brake or before the latter is applied, respectively, as will be explained. The shipper is provided with a socket 23 to receive the end of the lever-arm l6, agremovable pin 24 retaining the parts in cooperative relation while permitting disconneotion when desired.

When the shipper IS in running position,

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Figs. l, 2, and 3, tire connections betweenit and the belt-shifter 9 will position the latter, as shown iiiFig. 2; with the belt B in full driving engagemenflwith the fast pulley l, and at such time the brak e'i'siofl the brakeaetuating meansbeing described hereinafter.

New when'the shipper is released from its holding-notch and moved to stopping posi tion the belt-shifter is moved to shift the belt shipper has reached an intermediate position I on its way from running position, (indicated at 1%,) the position I being the predetermined point l'lGlGllllJBfOlG referred to. At this point the application of the brake is effected, but as the power has been completely thrown oil it will be manifest that there cannot be any strain or wear on any of the mechanism due to braking action while the power is on, even if only partly so.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 the brake memher or shoe 7 is connected by a rod or link 25 with the usual loom-frog F, arranged to knock off or release the shipper when said frog is operated by or through the usual protector mechanism. (Not shown.) An adjustable stud on a collar or head 26 on the link 25 is adapted to be engaged by the upturned short arm 27 of a lever fulcrumed on the loom side at 28, the long arm 29 of the lever being extended forward and supporting a wei it W, which when free to act swings lever 27 20 on its fulcrum and through the link 25 applies the brake, the lever and weight constituting a brakeactuator. Owing to the great difference in leverage of the arms 2729, the descent of the weight W acts to apply the member or shoe 7 with great force against the periphery of the annular member (5, effectually and quickly stopping the loon1-so promptly, in fact, thatthe lay cannot beat up after the brake is applied, thus preventing the formation of thin places in the cloth. This brake mechanism in its general construction is not of our invention, but we have so constructed the same that the movement of the brake member 7 toward and. from the member 6 is augmented materiallythat is, such movement is large relatively to what would be an absolutelynecessary movement to eli'ect engagement or disengagen'ient of the brake members. Easy adjustment or setting of the brake without the exercise of great care is thereby permittcd, and the movement of the member 7 is relatively so great that it IS absolutely and IXO swings downward, the weight entirely away, from the cooperating member 6 when the brake mechanism should be inactive, yet will surely act at the proper time on the member 6 to stop the loom.

The lever-arm 29 extends forward across the plane in which the shipper moves, Fig. 1, and is provided with a lateral extension 31, adapted to be at times engaged by a rigid finger 32 on the shipper, projecting therefrom adjacent its fulcrum-point and rounded at its extremity,'as at 33, to reduce friction when in engagement withthe extension.

Taking, first, the case wherein the shipper is in runnin position, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, it will be observed that the finger-tip 33 is in its most elevated position, lifting the extension 31, and through the lever 16 lifting'the weight and moving the brake member 7 to its extreme position away from the annular member 6.

When the shipper is released from its holding-notch 21 and is moved by its spring toward stopping position, the finger 32 W causing the extension 31 to follow, and when the intermediate position I of the shipper, Fig. 5, is reached the power will have been entirely thrown off, but the brake has not yet been alpplied. It is just ready to act, however, t e two brake-surfaces being almost in contact, and as the shipper moves past position I, dropping the finger 32, the weight W in stantly applies the brake, and the loom is stopped.

The movement of the extension 31 from the position shown in Fig. 5 to that shown in F 4 is very slight, but it will be understood that at such time the movement of the brake member 7 has only to be from non-contact to complete contact with the member 6, a very slight distance indeed in actual practice.

The greater movement has been effected during the movement of the extension 31 from running position, Fig. 3, to intermediate position, Fig. 5.

When the shipper is in stopping position, Fig. 4, and as indicated at S, Fig. 5, the finger is entirely disengaged from the extension.

If it be desired to throw off the brake by. hand without moving the shipper, the bellcrank 34 is turned in the direction of arrow 35, Fig. 4, to thereby lift the link 36, which passes through a hole in the lever-arm 16 and is enlarged or headed at its lower end at 37.

Such device for thrownng off the brake by hand when the loom is at rest is not a part of our present invention, however.

Supposing the loom to be at rest, the shipper being in the position shown in Fig. 4 and at S, Fig. 5, with the brake on and the power off. To start the loom, the shipper is moved to the right, Fig. 5, and the finger 32 as it rises will engage and lift the extension to the position shown. in Fig. 5 when the intermediate shipper position I is reached. The

once through the rod or link 14 and throws the belt-shifter into the position shown-in- Fig. 2, moving the belt onto the fast pulley 4 completelyv as the shipper reaches the holding-notch 21 in running position, Fig. 5. As the movement of the shipper from I to R is effected the separation of the brake 'mem hers is completed. Thus in starting the loom there is no chance for the brake to act against the power, and all strains due to such action are wholly obviated.

It has been found that the greater amplitude of movement of the shipper as herein provided permits of easier operation on the part of the weaver, requiring less expenditure of power, which is a very advantageous feature.

Automatic release of the shipper upon the occurrence of a filling fa' ilt is'efiected through the usual filling-fork mechanismjfir'idioated at F Figs. 1 and 2) and the knock-off lever 38, and in case the loom is provided with a warp stop-motion the loom can bestopped automatically.

A suflicient portion of a warp stop-motion is shown in F'g. 1, the same being substantially as shown in United States Patent to Sawyer, N 0. 763,119, a knock-off arm 47, fulcrumed on the loom-frame, having a cam-slot- 48, through which the lower end of the shipper 18 extends, the knock-01f arm being operated from the warp stop-motion by or through the link 45.

Further illustration or description of this mechanism is unnecessary herein.

When the loom is stopped by automatic release of the shipper, the construction herein is such that the lay A is stopped at a substantially fixed point, with the shuttle boxed in one or other of the usual shuttle-boxes in readiness to be picked when the loom is started without further attention by the weaver.

The brake mechanism is brought into condition for instant application by or through movement of the shipper from running posi' tion to a predetermined point, the power being wholly thrown off the loom when such point has been reached, and as the shipper passes beyond such point the operation of the brake mechanism is instantly and completely effected. Stoppage of the driving or crank shaft is thus effected at a substantially fixed point upon automatic shipper release, and manifestly the connected lay is stopped simultaneously.

Our invention is not restricted to the precise details of construction and arrangement herein shown and described, as the same may i be modified or varied by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

Having. described our invention, what we 'brakeffast and loose pulleys to cooperate with a driving-belt, and means controlled by movement of the shipper to stopping position to shift the belt wholly from the fast onto the loose pulley before the brake is ap-- plied, said means also acting to throw off the brake positively and entirely before the belt is shifted onto the fast pulley by movement of the shipper to rumnng position.

2. In a loom, in combination, a drivingshaft provided with fast and loose pulleys to cooperate with a driving-belt, a brake for said shaft, a shipper, and means controlled by movement thereof to stopping position to shift the belt onto the loose pulley and thereafter effect the application of the brake, and to positively throw off the latter, before the belt is shifted onto the fast pulley, by movement of the shipper to running position.

3. In a loom, in combination, a driving shaft provided with fast and loose pulleys to cooperate with a driving-belt, a brake for said shaft, an actuator for the brake, a ship per, and means controlled by movement thereof to stopping position to wholly shift the belt to the loose pulley and thereafter permit-the actuator to apply the brake, and to positively render the actuator inoperative and release the brake before the belt is shifted from loose to fast pulley, by movement of the shipper to running position.

4. In a power-loom, in combination, a brake an actuator therefor, a shipper oooperating with said actuator, to automatically and positively release the latter upon. stopping movement of the shipper, to apply the brake, and means governed by such shipper movement to throw off the power from the loom before the brake-actuator is released.

5. In a power-loom, in combination, a brake, an actuator therefor, a shipper,- means governed by movement of the shipper from running position to a predetermined point to wholly throw off the power from the loom, and means operative on shipper movement beyond such. point toward stopping position to cause application of the brake by its actu ator independently of the shipper.

6. In a powerloom, in combination, a brake, an actuator to apply it, means to throw the power onto and oil of the loom, and a shipper to govern said means and the brake-actuator, movement of the shipper from running position to a predetermined point throwing off the power and thereafter permitting the actuator to apply the brake, while reverse movement from stopping position to such point causes the actuator to posi tively release the brake, continued movement to running position throwing the power vmental member having a two-part movement toward and from the annular member,

a shipper, a brake-actuator controlled there. by, and means movable with the shipper,. whereby one part of the movement of the segmental brake member is simultaneous with, and the other part of such movement independent: of the shipper movement,

thereby providing for easy adjustment of the segmental member, and insuring abso- I lute disengagement of both members'when the shipper is moved to running position, and

absolute engagement when the shipper is moved to stopping position.

S. In a loom, in combination, an annular, rotatable brake member, a cooperating segmental member having an extended or augmented movement toward and from theannular member whereby easy adjustment of the segmental member is provided and absolute engagement or disenga ement of said members insured, a shipper, a rake-actuator controlled thereby and separate therefrom, and means to throw power onto and off the loom by movement of the shipper from stopping to running position, and vice versa, respectively, shipper movement fi'om stopping position operating through the actuator to positively and completely disenga e the brake. members before the power is t own on, "reverse shipper movement permitting the actuator to positively effect'engagement of said brake members after; the power is thrown off. 3

'9. In a power-loom, in combination, a driving-shaft adapted to effect reciprocation of the lay, brake mechanism, a ship er, and

means governed by movement of t e shipper from running position to a predetermined oint to-wholly throw off the power and liring the brake mechanism into condition for instant o oration, movement of theIsh-ipper past suci point causing immediate and fulloperation of the brake mechanism by said means, independently'of the shipper, to stop rotation of the driving-shaft at a sub-. stantially fixed point.

10. In a power-loom, iii-combination, a drivingrshaft adapted to effect reciprocation of the lay and having an attached annular brake member, a cooperating segmental member having an augmented movement toward and from the annular member, a shipper, and means separate from-the shipper and governed by movement thereof from running position to a predetermined point to wholly throw off the power and posit vely move the segmental member into position for instant cooperation with the annular bmke member, moyen ent of the shipper names to this specification in the presence of past such point causing immediate and 00m two subscribing Witnesses. plete cooperation of said rotatable and seg- WILLIAM F. DRAPER.

mental brake members, by or through said CHARLES F. ROPER. \J

5 means, to stop rotation of the driving-shaft Witnesses:

at! substantially fixed'point. E D. B ANCROFT,

In testimony whereof We have signed our i OLIVER H. LANE. 

